Bracing for well-drilling engines.



"E. E. GREVE. BRACING FOR WELL DRILLING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1914.

Patented June 29, 1915.

FIGJ,

INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D, c.

price.

EDGAR E. GREVE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO OIL WELL SUPPLY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BRACING FOR WELL-DRILLING ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2%, 1915.

Application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,462.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. GREVE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bracing for Nell-Drilling Engines, of which the following is a specification.

In apparatus for sinking wells by rotary drilling, the engineusually a steam engine-is located close to the derrick in a convenient position for actuating the line shaft which is ordinarily supported by the derrick posts or uprights. The usual practice is to mount the engine on a block which abuts against the derrick sills and brace the engine to the derrick in such manner as to rigidly assemble the parts with the gearing of the line shaft and engine in proper alinement. Secure bracing is essential to prevent undue vibration, and this has been diflicult to accomplish due to the fact that heretofore the engine has not been provided with appropriate means for applying and securing the bracing. Ordinarily the brace is wired or otherwise tied in crude fashion to the engine in an insecure and wholly inefficient manner.

The purpose of the present invention is to correct this dii'iiculty by providing a brace socket which may be readily applied to engines commonly used for this service, in the preferred adaptation the stud bolts for securing the cross-head guide and the cylinder to the engine bed being utilized for securing the socket thereby rigidly holding the extremity of the latter to that portion of the engine to which the bracing should be applied.

The invention also includes a supplemental bracing in the form of a tie-rod between the derrick and engine with provision on the brace socket for securing one end of the rod.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine positioned relatively to the derrick with the improved bracing..,and brace socket in place. Fig. 2 is a detail of the socket and bracing. the parts being shown separated. Fig. 3 is a view of the socket in vertical section.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the block on which the engine is mounted, one end thereof abutting sills 3 of the derrick, 4 indicating one of the derrick uprights or corner posts. Mounted on block 2 is the engine bed 5 which is flanged upwardly at its outer end at 6, and secured to the latter by stud bolts 7 is the engine cylinder 8. The engine crosshead guide 9 is secured to bed 5 by stud bolts 10. The line shaft 11 for transmltting power to the rotary drilling mechanism (not shown) is mounted on the derrick uprights 4, and the engine is arranged in close proximity to the derrick for the most economic transmission of power to said shaft. Rigid bracing between the engine and derrick is essential to hold the parts in proper relation and to preclude excessive and damaging vibration. To accomplish this an inclined timber bracing 12 is interposed between that part of the derrick above shaft 11 and the engine, in the present adaptation the derrick extremity of the brace being notched at 12 to engage headboards 13 of the derrick secured to uprights 4..

The device for securing the brace to the engine consists of a head-like casting 14 formed with the socket cavity 15 for receivmg the brace extremity, and if desired the socket may be apertured as shown to receive a securing pin. Head 14 is formed with the horizontal base flange 16 which is adapted to rest on the extremity of cross-head guide 9 as in F 1g. 1, and it is appropriately apertured at 16 to pass the cross-head guide securing bolts 10. The socket head is also flanged vertically at 17 to fit bed flange 6 and is apertured at 17 to pass the cylindersecuring stud bolts 7. Apertures l6 and 17 are preferably slightly elongated to adapt the brace to different engines in which there are slight variations in the relative positions of bolts 7 and 10.

A. supplemental bracing consists of a longitudinal adjustable tie-rod 18 which parallels brace 12, the rod being provided with a turn-buckle 18. In the present adaptation the derrick extremity of the tie-rod is 1 and flange 21 is of web form, being interposed between the main portion of head 14 and flange 17 and hence serves also to brace the latter. The tie-rod maintains the brace tightly positioned between the engine and derrick and assists materially in maintaining the parts rigidly assembled.

The improved socket applies the bracing to that portion of the engine on which it may be used with best effect, 11. a, the cylinder, and the socket is of such form and is so mounted as not to interfere with the operation of adjusting any'of the working parts. Furthermore, the design of the socket is such that it may be readily applied to engines now in use as well as to new engines initially equipped therewith.

I claim 1. A11 engine brace socket comprising a head having a cavity for receiving the extremity of a brace, the head being flanged to fit the engine parts to which it is applied and the flanges apertured to receive securing bolts.

2. An engine brace socket comprising a head having a cavity for receiving the extremity of a brace, the head formed to fit the part of the engine to which it is applied and also formed to receive head-securing means, the head formed with an apertured part adapted to receive a tie-rod.

3. An engine brace socket comprising a head having a cavity adapted to receive the extremity of a brace, the head being flanged horizontally and also flanged verticallyto fit parts of the engine to which the socket is applied and the flanges apertured to pass securing bolts, the head also formed with an apertured part adapted to receive a tierod.

4:. The combination of an engine mount- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing, an engine, a derrick, a brace interposed between the derrick and engine, a socket having a cavity for receiving the extremity of the brace, means for securing the socket to the engine, a tie-rod paralleling the brace vand at one end secured to the derrick, and

cross-head bolted to the bed, a cylinder bolted to the bed, and a brace socket having apertured parts registering with and adapted to pass the bolts which secure the cross-head and cylinder.

7. The combination of an engine, a derrick, a brace having one end engaging the derrick, a tie-rod paralleling'the brace and having one end secured to the derrick, and

'a socket secured to the engine and having a cavity for confining the engine extremity of the brace and also provided with means for securing the engine extremity of the tierod. Y

' In testimony whereof, I aifiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR E. GREVE.

Witnesses Y F. L. ENGLISH, SAMUEL E. SWARTZ.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

